Discover how the Innoptus Solar team won the 3000km Bridgestone World Solar Challenge while using Marple to optimise their strategy.
The collaboration with Innoptus Solar Team, a passionate group of engineering students from KU Leuven, began when Nero, the founder of Marple, reconnected through his academic ties. The Innoptus Solar Team, composed of Belgian engineering students, competes to build the most innovative and efficient solar car. The team is the current World Champion, having won races in Chile, Australia, and Belgium. Our missions aligned perfectly—both organisations are driven by a shared ambition to support innovation, technology, and the future of engineering.
The team needs to monitor and analyse the data collected from their solar car during the races, such as speed, motor temperature, battery level, solar panel power, and weather conditions. The data is crucial for their battery management strategy, which determines how fast and how far they can drive without depleting their energy source. The team also needs to visualise the data in an easy-to-understand way, to make informed decisions during the race and improve their performance.
Before adopting Marple, the Solar Team relied on an in-house tool for live telemetry, supplemented by MATLAB and Python scripting. While functional, this method was labor-intensive and lacked the efficiency of a dedicated tool. Marple revolutionised their workflow by streamlining data upload and inspection processes. The team used Marple to analyse their route, uploading coordinates and elevation information to identify critical sections. Additionally, they analysed testing data to understand the car's performance and energy consumption under various conditions. This analysis enabled them to make informed decisions and optimise their energy strategy for the race.
Marple's impact was clear during the Australian competition. Real-time data visualisation gave the team crucial insights. For example, Marple logs showed a component was much hotter than expected. This led to an immediate investigation, revealing a malfunction that caused inefficiencies and extra energy usage. By quickly fixing the issue, the team avoided setbacks and optimised their energy use, which was key to their victory.
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Switching to Marple made the Solar Team much more efficient. The easy API integration kept all data logged, saving time and effort, and making it available for all engineers in the team. Marple's user-friendly interface lets the team explore their data, find insights, and improve performance quickly. Real-time data monitoring and detailed analysis helped the team adapt to changing conditions and make quick, informed decisions.
The partnership with the Solar Team is an example on Marple's commitment to supporting innovation and future engineers. Both organisations are committed to optimising and using data for continuous improvement. The mission of Marple is clear: provide engineering teams with the tools they need to achieve their goals. The Solar Team’s success shows how powerful advanced data analytics can be in difficult situations.
The story of how Marple helped the Solar Team win a world championship in Australia shows the power of real-time data analytics. Marple gave immediate insights and helped the team make quick, informed decisions, making it an indispensable tool in their success. This collaboration highlights the need for the right tools and support to tackle the challenges of competitive racing. If you’re facing similar challenges and seeking to optimise your data analytics, our team at Marple is here to support you every step of the way.
The ability to analyse data in real-time was a game-changer for the Solar Team. Immediate insights allowed them to make on-the-fly adjustments, optimising performance and addressing issues swiftly.
Transitioning from labor-intensive methods like MATLAB and Python scripting to Marple streamlined the Solar Team’s workflow. The efficiency gained through easy data upload and integration saved valuable time and effort, directly contributing to their competitive edge.
Marple’s detailed data logs enabled the team to identify anomalies, such as unexpected temperature spikes in components. Proactively addressing these issues prevented potential setbacks and improved overall efficiency.
By analysing route coordinates, elevation data, and testing results, the team could prepare strategically for races. Comprehensive data analysis provided a clear understanding of car performance under various conditions, informing critical decisions that optimized energy usage.
The collaboration’s success was rooted in shared values and goals. Both Marple and the Solar Team are committed to supporting innovation and the future of engineering, creating a strong foundation for effective teamwork.
Having access to advanced data analytics tools like Marple provided the Solar Team with a significant competitive advantage. It highlights the importance of leveraging the right technology to achieve high-stakes objectives.
The ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions and continuously improve processes is crucial. Marple facilitated this adaptability, ensuring the team could respond to real-time data and refine their strategies effectively.